“Faithful Penelope, Heedful Telemachus”

Dear Penelope,

Although people say that you’re no Helen, I am proud of you in the way you stuck up for yourself against those suitors. As my dad keeps saying every time I mention The Odyssey, “Faithful Penelope, heedful Telemachus.” I enjoyed reading about how you promised to marry a suitor once you had completed the web, but deceitfully undid the web every night. By doing this, you empowered women but also showed the motif of deceitful women in literature.

While I admire your faithfulness to Odysseus, I think that avoiding things we do not want to do is a part of human nature. For example, I am writing this assignment Sunday night at 7:30 when I have known about it since Thursday. I do not believe it is a good thing, however, because it turns into procrastination, which implies laziness. You, however, are not procrastinating by undoing the web every night, but showing the unusual good traits that come out of avoidance of undesirable things. You show your intelligence, trickiness, belief that Odysseus will return, and your faithfulness to Odysseus.

I also believe that when we avoid certain events or assignments, we get ourselves into bigger messes and have to work even harder to dig ourselves out of them. I was just watching a television show in which a student forgot to write a paper and lied, saying he had been helping a very sick friend. When he forgot to write the assignment again, his lies went so far that he said an alligator was in his room. (How the teacher believed that, I do not know.) When he had to tell the truth, his punishment was much greater than it would have been if he had just told the truth in the very beginning and wrote the paper.

Anyway, Penelope, I find your story fascinating and cannot wait to read more about it in the future.

For now,

Katie

“He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not:” The True Feelings of A Dishonest Family

As Isaac nears his death, he decides to give a blessing to Esau, his eldest and favorite son. When Rebekah finds out, however, she tells Jacob to receive the blessing instead of Esau, taking advantage of Isaac’s blindness. When Esau arrives to receive his blessing, Isaac tells him what had happened with Jacob, which makes Esau decide he wants to kill Jacob.

Of course, there are little family arguments and sibling rivalries, but I have never witnessed family members betraying one another. Upon reading Gen. 27, I felt so fortunate to have a family that is loyal and loving to one another, not a family that goes behind other members’ backs to gain an advantage. For one, Rebekah not only betrays one of her sons, but also betrays her husband. I cannot imagine my mother going to my brother and telling him to do something in order to hurt me to only benefit him. For Jacob to lie to his own father, receiving a blessing that was not meant for him, was wrong, but I feel that every member in the family except for the blind Isaac, was at fault in this story. Although Esau was betrayed, he decides in the end to kill his twin brother, which shows his hatred for Jacob.

Maybe I feel shocked at the relationship between Jacob and Esau because I have always had a good relationship with my brother, and I understand that neither one of us could ever do that to the other. I think a factor though, may be the age difference between the siblings. While my brother and I are five and a half years apart in age, Jacob and Esau were twins. They had to constantly compete with one another, which ended up dividing the family: Isaac with Esau and Rebekah with Jacob. Although I understand the motivations of each character’s wrong doing, I do not understand how as a family, they could have accomplished each task in betraying one another.

A New Type of Prodigal Son: The Reality of Life

In Spanish class this morning, we read a story titled “El Perezoso Dichoso” or “The Lucky Lazy Man.” It was about a boy who does nothing but sit by a fire all day who ends up receiving all the treasure left behind by robbers. The boy’s uncle, however, who had been working the whole day in his market, earned almost nothing.

I am confused about the moral of the story: Do nothing and earn everything or even work hard to achieve little. My whole life, I have been told to work my hardest in order to be successful. Then this lazy boy comes around who has no ambition and gets all the money, whereas his poor uncle receives nothing for his hours of hard work. This story in a way reminds me of the “Prodigal Son.” The rebelling and sinful son returns home only to be greeted with a huge party, whereas the son who had been loyal to his father all his life, only continues to work. The difference, however, is that the boy in “El Perezoso Dichoso” did not return to admit his faults and receive forgiveness from his family member, but instead just happens to come across fortune and never loses it.

I feel that the story is completely unfair, but demonstrates how life really is. Sometimes the people that do not work as hard as others are more successful, but I believe that in the long run, the harder workers will achieve greater success.

“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility:” Noah’s Call to Action

When Noah did all that God had commanded by building the arc and placing two animals of every kind on it, he took on great responsibility. By building the arc, Noah was agreeing to kill every living creature on earth except for his family and pairs of fortunate animals. Not only did Noah need to build the whole arc, but he also needed to collect every type of food on earth and a pair, male and female, of every animal on earth, including the birds in the sky. Noah proved his independence and showed God he had the power to achieve all God commanded.

If I were told to build an arc by God to escape a flood killing all of mankind, I would be frightened and shocked. I do not think I would have the power to let every living being on earth be killed by a flood that I knew was coming and could have told everyone else. It is difficult to take responsibility for all of our actions as human beings, especially when there is a negative consequence. We blame others for our own mistakes just to make ourselves look and appeal better to others. It is a part of human nature that we try to protect ourselves, not always doing what is best for the rest of the world. Noah took the responsibility given to him by God, even though the consequences of his actions resulted in the end of all living creatures left on earth. He didn’t pause or say that God was at fault, but understood what he had accomplished and realized it was what was best for mankind, starting over with renewed hearts.

Knowledge is Power: There Can Only Be One God

After creating the earth, the heavens, the sky, the seas, vegetation, and animals, Genesis simply states, “God saw that it was good.” When God creates Man, however, he does not allow Adam to roam in the garden freely, but forbids him from eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Though God states that eating fruit from the tree results in death, the serpent declares that the tree does not bring death but true knowledge and wisdom. If knowledge of good and evil comes from the tree, why did God restrict this from Adam and Eve?

Although humans were created in God’s own image and likeness, they could never be divine like God, having ultimate power and knowledge over all. The tree, however, gave immense wisdom to the humans, allowing them to become more powerful. The reason the tree was placed in the garden is a mystery. The tree tested the human’s will power, but if all God wanted was superior knowledge and power, why did he even present them with this test? Genesis contains six verses in which God punishes Adam and Eve for their disobedience to him, but their only fault is discovering the facts about life. At the end of Gen. 3.24, God blocks off the tree of knowledge of good and evil with a flaming sword, ensuring Adam and Eve no longer eat from it. By guarding the tree, God knows he will always be the most divine and have the most knowledge, which is the reason he forbade the tree in the first place.

“Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better:” The Equality of Men and Women

            As Lyra hides in the Retiring Room, the narrator explains, ‘“ She had lived most of her life in the College, but had never seen the Retiring Room before: only Scholars and their guests were allowed in here, and never females’” (Pullman 4). Lyra runs around the whole room examining every detail because of her curiosity until a servant arrives forcing her to hide in the wardrobe, a common motif.

            Until the enactment of Title Nine of the Educational Amendments in 1972, men and women were not judged and treated equally. Men dominated and received benefits in both academics and athletics. In fact, some schools refused to admit women. Title Nine created equal opportunity for them because colleges needed women scholar-athletes. In athletics, women, now having equal opportunity as men, could receive an equal amount of financial assistance and accommodation of the athlete’s ability. In The Golden Compass, the setting describes a male dominant society in which women are not treated equally, and therefore describes a setting before Title Nine.

            As has been proven over time, women can achieve anything men can and sometimes better. The musical Annie Get Your Gun demonstrates this. Women have proven themselves both in athletics and in academics and continue to prove themselves now. In fact, last year, Hillary Clinton ran for president and achieved high respect and success, although she did not win the election. Some people thought they would never see the day when a woman ran for president and actually competed on an equal playing field. Hillary Clinton set a good example and helped to demonstrate the power and intelligence of women, equal to that of men.

Proposition: Although it took a while to prove it, women are capable of achieving anything a man can achieve and therefore deserve equal respect.

The Epiphany of a Lifetime: The Supernatural Hourglass

Chapter One:

“Always keep this hourglass with you or in your sight at all times. Don’t let anyone touch it, see it, or take it away from you. Do you understand Lizzie?”

I nodded trying to fight back the tears streaming down my face.

“Good girl. I love you very much.”

            Holding the hourglass to my heart, I reminisced upon the last day I saw my mother. The people screaming around us drowned out her sweet voice and warm smile as she gave me the hourglass and spoke her last angelic words. Shivering in the freezing water, her gold hair and bright blue eyes turned black. Even in this deplorable situation, she wore a huge warm assuring smile like she always did, and looked me straight in the eyes. After a long hug, she handed me to a stranger on a rescue boat, which contained only enough room for me. I regret that I did nothing to save my mother, but then I remember I, only a seven year old, had no power, as I stood frozen on the boat on that solemn day. 

            The hourglass not only reminds me of my mother, but also contains supernatural powers. It contains the ability to time-travel, allowing me to visit my mother once in a while and live in the happy times before darkness reached Abatha, the country in which I have lived in my whole life.  After my twelfth birthday, an epiphany struck me. The reason my mother gave me the hourglass was to protect Abatha, for she, an adventurer, traveled to the future many times, experiencing this darkness that has affected the lives of all Abathians, turning them from joyful loving people to angry selfish ones.

            Growing up, I resigned myself to the fact that no good could happen to me. As an abandoned orphan, a uneducated young lady, and a hopeless child, I believed that my soul died with my mother’s, sinking all the way down to the bottom of the ocean. Discovering the task I was born to complete turned out to be the greatest day of my life. When I turned thirteen, however, I discovered that my task would conflict with the view of all Abathians, turning out more difficult than I could ever imagine.

Any Given Sunday: Counting Every Inch

           With three minutes before the conference championship, Tony D’Amato, coach of the Sharks, inspires his football team by saying, “You find out that life is just a game of inches…when we add up all those inches, 
that’s going to make the difference
 between WINNING and LOSING
, between LIVING and DYING” (Any Given Sunday). The discovery that football, like life, depends on inches sparks the Sharks to fight for every inch, resulting in winning the conference championship. 

Any Given Sunday: A video clip of Al Pacino’s speech “Inches”

The Presidential Election of 2000: Al Gore’s response to the election

          The election in 2000 came down to inches when Florida’s decision would choose our next president. After two years of campaigning, spending millions of dollars, and over one hundred million voters, George W. Bush and Al Gore needed to win one state in order to be the next president of the United States. After a lot of hard work, Al Gore lost by a few thousand votes, a few inches. George Bush’s inches added up to make the difference resulting in his victory.

          Two weeks ago, my soccer team played a Santa Barbara team. In order to go to premiere the following year, we needed to win the game. Santa Barbara scored on us in the beginning, but we kept fighting and did not give up. With five minutes left in the game, one of my teammates shot the ball. It hit the crossbar and bounced out. That shot, inches away from a goal, decided our future as a team for the following year.

Proposition: Although things do not always go our way, it is important to fight for every inch whether in sports or in life in order to succeed or accomplish a goal.

004: The Adventures of a Young Protégée

            Jackie’s first day as the protégée to a spy turned out more difficult than she had planned. She needed to follow every instruction given to her by the spy, including intrigue, the consequences of which could punish her greatly if caught. Although she enjoyed the job at first, she soon discovered the traits and characteristics needed to fulfill such dangerous tasks. Zack, her protector and mentor, had a murkiness that made Jackie feel uneasy at times and in danger. His choice of garb, all black, obviously displayed his detestation for ostentatious clothing or to stand out in general, a characteristic fitting for a spy. Jackie could recognize his love for his job by the way he smiled every once in a while. He would always then return to his tough veneer. When he noticed her anxiety, he patted her right shoulder as if to pacify her, saying nothing and staring straight ahead always alert.

            Out in the distance, a man, also in dark clothing, ran behind a tree in the park. Jackie’s first adventure as a spy depended on Azar, the man behind the tree, to return to the park where she could instruct Zack to the best of her abilities. As Azar came nearer, she instructed Zack to turn the corner and attack from behind. Zack obstinately stated that he would set up a decoy for Azar and attack him from the front. Although Jackie thought this idea to be absurd, she agreed because after all she was the protégée and Zack had reached the pinnacle of his spy abilities. As Zack made his swift attack, she covered her ears and huddled behind the wall to the fence. When the battle was over, Zack ran over and congratulated Jackie on a mission well done.

            Jackie would always remember this experience. While she larked on her adventure as a spy, she discovered her fondness for the career. From then on, Jackie was referred to as 004.

The quaint and mundane room: The comfort zone

        The small bedroom lies at the corner of the house next to the working spaces of her parents. Entering the warm room through a long white hallway in which there rests a blue and white dresser, a mundane closet, and a floor-length mirror. The dresser holds pictures of friends, family, and special moments to remind her to keep moving forward every day. To the left of the dresser, a small closet overflowed with used soccer cleats and shoes too small stands with a poster saying “Beware of Cocker Spaniel.”

        Walking further into the room lies a dog beg full of gold thick strands of fur and chewed up dog toys and tissues where her dog sleeps every night ensuring her protection. A library of novels including To Kill a Mockingbird, Huckleberry Fin, Tom Sawyer, and the whole Harry Potter saga, rests against the wall to the far left, adjacent to a window looking out at a view of the city. Three windows look out at the setting of her magical city in three different directions: north, east, and west. She spends most of her time on a seat next to the west window, reflecting on her life and contemplating the future. One desk stationed near the north window contains a computer, a calendar filled out with all of her upcoming events and plans, a lamp, and an hourglass. The hourglass, one of her most treasured possessions, reminds her to relax and regroup every now and then and helps her keep organized.

        To the right of her room lies a queen-sized bed with four pillows, a stuffed animal she has owned since birth, and a white comforter with a green border. Surrounding the bed, a thin white curtain helps to keep the sun away just a little longer than usual. A bedside table to the left of the bed contains a small sculpture of an angel holding a dog similar to her own along with a picture of her as a child with her father. The angel and her father are the last images she observes before she goes to sleep.